Card 8

The Winter Solstice

The winter Solstice is older than recorded history and was the religion of Cornwall before the coming of Christianity. It is interesting that when we study the Saints of Cornwall, and we probably have more parishes named after saints than anywhere else in Britain, we find that of the 18 parishes in the West of Cornwall 12 have feast or fairs on dates connected to the worship of the sun.

One tradition of the winter Solstice was for the Druid / Bard to gather them around the yule log or block and then to tell them a story. Our story can be found here

This page is still being worked on so come back in a few days to see it again.

Dates of Pagan Festivals

Dates of parish feasts & Fayres

Feb 2nd Imbolc Also called Oimelc and Candlemas,

Imbolc celebrates the awakening of the land and the growing power of the Sun.

St Ives Feast Feb 2nd

St Kew. Feast Feb. 8th

St Breward nearest Sunday Feb.22nd

Porthlevan Feast Feb. 22nd

Mar Fri 20 The Spring Equinox -

Eoster Spring Equinox celebrates the renewed life of the Earth that comes with the Spring.

Easter Celebrations All parishes

May Fri 1 Beltane

Pagans celebrate Beltane with maypole dances, symbolizing the mystery of the Sacred Marriage of Goddess and God.

Helston Feast 8th of May (Flora Day)

Jun Sun 21 Summer Solstice - Litha

Longest day of the year

Penzance Feast 23rd of June

Aug Sat 1 Lughnasadh - Lammas

A harvest festival and one of the Pagan festivals of Celtic origin which split the year into four.

Harvest Celebrations all Parishes

Sep Tue 22 Autumn Equinox

This day is celebrated when day and night are of equal duration.

Oct Sat 31 Samhain (Hallowe'en)

Samhain (pronounced 'sow'inn') marks the Feast of the Dead. Many Pagans also celebrate it as the old Celtic New Year (although some mark this at Imbolc).

St Earth Feast Oct. 31st

St Just Feast First Sunday and Monday in November.

St Ewe Feast Nov.1st.

St Cury Feast Nov. 2nd

Dec Mon 21 Winter Solstice - Yule

Yule is the time of the winter solstice, when the sun child is reborn, an image of the return of all new life born through the love of the Gods. Within the Northern Tradition Yule is regarded as the New Year.

Christmas Celebrations all Parishes